TASTING: Red VQA Ontario wines, April 15, 2009

The Time and Date: Wednesday, April 15, 2009  10AM to 2:30 PM

The Event: a tasting of red VQA Ontario wines

The Venue: LCBO Scrivener Square, Kitchen Event Room

The Target Audience: Wine Writers Circle of Canada members

The Availability/Catalogue: all are available at the winery, but a few are at LCBO and Vintages.

 

The Wines:

 

**** Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):

-Alvento  Sondra    Merlot, Cab Franc    2006  VQA  12.5% alc

-Chateau des Charmes  Gamay Noir  "Droit"  2007  St. David'sBench  VQA  13% alc  # 582353  $16.95

-Colio Estate Vineyards Merlot Reserve 2002 Barrel Aged  VQA  Lake Erie North Shore  13% alc  LCBO# ?    $20.95  Vintages

-Creekside  Shiraz  2007  VQA  Niagara Peninsula  12.5% alc   #66654  General List  $15.95 

-Rosewood  Pinot Noir  2007  VQA  Twenty Mile Bench 13% alc

-Stonechurch   Syrah  Reserve  2007  VQA  Niagara-on-the-Lake  13% alc $24.95

-Henry of Pelham  Pinot Noir  2007  VQA  Niagara Peninsula  13% alc  

# 13904  $  17.25   General List

-Wayne Gretzky   Shiraz/Cabernet  2006  Estate Series  VQA St David's Bench  12.7% alc  No LCBO #   $22.95

-Southbrook   Triomphe Syrah 2007  VQA Niagara Peninsula  12.3% alc  No LCBO # yet.  $24.95  Release Vintages Sept 12, 2009

 

***1/2 Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):

-Cave Spring Cellars  Pinot Noir  VQA  Niagara Peninsula   12.5% alc  #417642   $16.95  Avail LCBO, no releasse date given.

-Creekside  Laura Red  2006  VQA Niagara Peninsula  12.8% alc  #117960  Vintages    Available now  $19.95

-Creekside   Pinot Noir  Reserve  2006  VQA St David's Bench  12.6% alc  #81729  Vintages  Avail now  $29.95

-Stonechurch  Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve  2007  VQA  Niagara-on-the-Lake  13% alc  Vintages Selection $19.95

-Pelee Island  Cabernet Sauvignon  Petit Verdot  2007   VQA Ontario  12% alc  Winery only  $19.95 

-Harbour Estates  Cabernet Sauvignon  2007  VQA  Niagara Peninsula  13% alc  #101238  $13.15  General List Craft 

-Inniskillin   Cabernet Franc  2007  VQA Niagara Peninsula   12.5% alc   #37016  $13.50  

-Konzelmann  Merlot  2006  Barrel Aged  VQA Niagara Peninsula   12.5% alc  #62465400066  $20.20  Vintages release July 4, 2009.

 

*** Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms):

-Creekside Cabernet 2007 VQA $13.95 +620708 General List

-Calamus  Meritage  (60% Cab Sauv, 25% Cab Franc, 15% Merlot)  2006  VQA  $20 plus deposit   Avail winery only, no release date

-Cave Spring Cellars   Gamay   2007   VQA   Niagara Peninsula   12.5% alc   # 228569  $12.95  Avail LCBO, no release date given.

-EastDell  CabMerlot  2007  VQA Niagara Peninsula  12% alc  #620187  $12.95  No release date given.

-De Souza  Cabernet Franc  2006   VQA Ontario  12.5% alc   #101121  $11.95  No release date given

-Flat Rock  Pinot Noir  2007  VQA  Twenty Mile Bench  12.5% alc  #1545  $19.95  Avail in Vintages now.

-Frogpondfarm  Organic Cabernet-Merlot  2007  VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake  13.2% alc  #58354  500 ml  $16.00  Vintages Release Sept 12, 2009.

-Dan Aykroyd  Pinot Noir  2007  Discovery Series  VQA Niagara Peninsula  12.5% alc  #101840  $14.95  No release date given.

-Dan Aykroyd  Cabernet Shiraz  2007  Discovery Series  VQA Niagara Peninsula  13% alc  #74062  $14.95  No release date given.

-Aleksander   Pinot Noir  2007   $24.95 Not yet labelled.  For release date contact winery.

-Konzelmann  Shiraz  2006  Barrel Aged VQA Niagara Peninsula  12% alc   #624654000607  $13.20  Vintages release Jan 3, 2009.

-Legends  Merlot  2006  VQA  Niagara  13% alc

-Pelee Island  Pinot Noir  Reserve  2007  13.5% alc  #458521  $14.95  --Pelee Island  Baco Noir  2007  VQA Ontario  13% alc  #485128  $19.95  -Trius  Red  2007  VQA Niagara  13.5%  #1040575  $21.75

-Pillitteri  Cabernet Merlot  2007  VQA  Niagara Peninsula  13% alc  #349191  $12.95  No release date given.

-Southbrook  Triomphe  Cabernet Merlot  2006  VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake  12.6% alc  No LCBO # yet.  Vintages May 2, 2009

-Sprucewood  Cabernet France   2007  VQA Lake Erie North Shore   13% alc  $18.95  Avail now at winery and winerytohome.com

-Vineland  Cabernet France  2007  VQA  Niagara Peninsula 12.2% alc   #594127  $12.75

-20 Bees  Cabernet Merlot  VQA Niagara Peninsula  13% alc  #6395  $9.95  -20 Bees  Growers' Red  100% homegrown grapes but not VQA  12.1% alc   #49635  $9.95 1L

-Trumpour's Mill  Pinot Noir  2007  VQA Prince Edward County  13% alc  Vintages Release Aug 2009  $16.80

 

The Food: bread and water

The Contact Person:  sdarby@rogers.com

The Marketing Effectiveness (numerical grade): 95.

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com